1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a tape waste collector assembly for use with a belt loop sewing machine and, more particularly, to a tape waste collector assembly for collecting cutting wastes produced when a length of tape is cut into pieces for formation of belt loops.
2. Description of Related Art
FIGS. 14 and 15 depict a sewing machine M dedicated for use in sewing belt loops on a garment such as, for example, pants, jeans or the like. This sewing machine M is provided with a tape feed platform 10 for feeding a length of tape T, a tape cutter 12 disposed at a downstream end of the tape feed platform 10 with respect to a direction of travel of the tape T, a tape receiving plate 15 disposed downstream of the tape cutter 12, and a conventional seam discharging mechanism 25 disposed above the tape receiving plate 15. The seam discharging mechanism 25 comprises a horizontally and vertically movable compression coil spring 27 for pressing the tape T. The tape cutter 12 is intended to cut the tape T into pieces of a predetermined length for use as belt loops, and is also intended to cut a rear portion of a seam S so that a piece T1 of tape having the seam S and cut by the tape cutter 12 may be discharged into a waste box 28 located in front of a machine table 32 below the tape receiving plate 15. To this end, the piece T1 of tape having the seam S, retained on the tape receiving plate 15 by the compression coil spring 27, is dropped straight down into the waste box 28 by horizontally moving the compression coil spring 27 relative to the tape receiving plate 15 in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of travel of the tape T, as shown by a single-dotted chain line in FIG. 15.
As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, when the sewing machine M is used to sew belt loops on trousers, a waist part G of the trousers is first placed on a sewing plate 36 so that a belt loop may be sewn thereon. When an operator subsequently moves the waist part G to a next belt loop position in a direction shown by an arrow B using his right and left hands, the piece T1 of tape impinges on his right hand, with the result that the piece T1 of tape falls on the floor of a working place without entering the waste box 28 located below the tape receiving plate 15. Therefore, the operator is obliged to collect a large number of pieces T1 of tape scattering on the floor after his work is finished.
Furthermore, when opposite ends of each belt loop are cut generally in the shape of "X", triangular wastes R and L are inevitably separated therefrom, as shown in FIG. 16. The waste box 28 referred to above is also used to collect these triangular wastes R and L.
However, the waste box 28 cannot collect all the triangular wastes R and L, and part of the triangular wastes R and L scatters on respective sides of the tape cutter 12 and fails on the sewing plate 36 or the machine table 32. Accordingly, the operator is obliged to collect a large number of triangular wastes R and L scattering on the sewing plate 36 or the machine table 32 as well as the pieces T1 of tape scattering on the floor.
Since an opening 29 of the waste box 28 is extended nearly immediately below a machine bed 35 so as to positively collect the cutting wastes referred to above, a portion of the lower part of the operator such as, for example, legs or knees is brought into contact with the waste box 28 when the sewing machine is in operation, thus annoying the operator.